


The Calm Before

by agentsimmons



Series: Mutants and Monsters [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom, X-Men (Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Bruce Banner Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Gen, Kid Fic, Kid Raven | Mystique, Non-Linear Narrative, Parent Bruce Banner, Pre-Avengers (2012), Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-18 23:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5946808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce shares a small, quiet moment with baby Raven outside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Calm Before

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't going to be the next one and it's incredibly short, but I was laying in bed last night and was struck with the need to write a small, quiet moment with Bruce and Raven - tinged perhaps with a little bittersweet foreshadowing. 
> 
> **Raven is about 10 months old here.**

Bruce feels the large blanket shift beneath his folded legs, his senses much more acute these days, and he hears a small squeal of delight. He cracks open an eye, from where he'd been attempting a few quiet moments of light meditation, and sees Raven scurrying on hands and knees away from him.  


"Where do you think you're crawling off too?"  


Raven seems to understand his question and hits another gear, but Bruce intercepts her before she can crawl too far away from the safety of the blanket spread out in the small yard. She squirms a little when he picks her up and gently moves her back closer to his lap.

"I know, I know," he says with a laugh when she looks at him with her tiny face screwed up in indignation. "You want to go explore the world, but I'm afraid you're still just a little too small for that. Daddy's just trying to keep you safe." He then reaches for her two small arms and helps her to stand on her wobbly legs. "You should at least learn to walk first, sweetheart."

Raven's pouty face immediately becomes bubbly again with excitement and she bounces – well, wobbles on one foot then the other – around as Bruce keeps her steady. She moves her feet up and down, in perhaps an imitation of walking, a few more times before standing still. When he thinks she's ready to practice standing up on her own, Bruce gently lets go although does move his broad hands too far away.

As she's been able to do lately, Raven stands for a long moment without any support. She sways a little, but is able to keep her center of balance. It's only when she suddenly gets a little excited for more and takes an adventurous few steps that she loses her balance and plops back down onto the ground on her bottom before Bruce can prevent it.

" _Oof_ ," Bruce tones as she hits the ground. Her skin changes from the slight tan it had been to her natural blue, the impact no doubt startling her and causing her to lose whatever mental control it takes for her to shift.

Bruce would study it more if he didn't dislike the connotation that went along with studying a human being against their consent these days. Maybe when she's older he'll let her make that decision for herself unless of course she already understands it intrinsically on her own and is able to give answers, he thinks.

But his thoughts about her gift scatter when her lips pout and her chin begins to quiver. Her yellow-gold eyes begin to water up with tears as she looks up at him.

"Oh," Bruce says in instant pity and concern, even if he knows she's not hurt rather just upset by the short fall and unexpectedness of it. "Daddy didn't catch you did he?" He reaches for her and pulls her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he apologizes as her hands clutch his shirt and she snuffles against the collar. "Falling's part of the process," he says to her even if she doesn't understand. "You'll get the hang of it, I promise. And daddy wouldn't let you really get hurt. You're okay, sweetheart."

He feels her start to calm again and after a moment she lets go and he lowers her to sit on his lap, resting on one of his knees. She snivels a few more times as she looks up at him and he down at her. He gently spreads her thickening wisps of red hair back from her tiny forehead.  


"You're so beautiful, Raven," Bruce says reverently and she smiles as if she understands how much he loves her. He hopes that no matter what may come for either of them she'll always know how much he does. 

He hopes when the day comes that she is ready to go explore the world, the world will see what he sees and love her too.   



End file.
